Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP has criticised Fine Gael leader John
Bruton's instruction to his party councillors not to enter into voting
pacts with Sinn Fein. Mr. Adams said that these comments ``are also at odds
with Mr. Bruton's comments during a meeting of our two parties on January
28th.''

Mr. Adams said:

``John Bruton's instruction to his party councillors not to enter into
voting pacts with Sinn Fein is a sad reflection on his grasp of democratic
principles and of his commitment to building inclusiveness and equality.

``Mr Bruton may think that he comments will in someway punish Sinn Fein or
that his approach will have a positive influence on the decommissioning
issue

``On the contrary his stance disregards the democratic rights and
entitlements of the Sinn Fein electorate. It will not persuade any of the
armed groups to disarm and indeed will lessen Sinn Fein's influence by
setting to one side our mandate in the last election. I do not know if
voting alliances between our parties are likely or indeed desirable. Sinn
Fein disagrees with Fine Gael on many issues but for Mr. Bruton to demonise
our electorate shows that he is out of touch with the needs and dynamics of
this critical time.

``His remarks are also at odds with his comments during a meeting of our two
parties on January 28th.

``A delegation of Sinn Fein were in Leinster House that day to lobby all of
the parties on our submission to the all-party Oireachtas Committee on
Constitutional Reform. This submission calls for the inclusion of northern
representatives in political institutions in the south and for votes for
all Irish citizens in Presidential elections and referenda.

``A senior Sinn Fein group led by myself met with Mr. Bruton in his offices
that day. At this time there were rumours that the government might fall.
At the beginning of our discussion Mr. Bruton told me that if there was a
change of government and he was returned as Taoiseach, he would be doing
his utmost to advance the peace process and that he wanted to make it
absolutely clear that he was totally committed to this process.

``He told me that he would be obliged if I could say publicly that I was
satisfied that this was the situation. I said that I would do so and in
subsequent press briefings I said that I was satisfied that both the
Taoiseach and the leader of the opposition were committed to the peace
process.

``Mr. Bruton's stated position during that meeting is entirely at odds with
his current position. He needs to jettison these old failed policies of
exclusion and fully embrace the possibilities and imperatives of the peace
process.''